Apparatus for coking liquid petroleum residues



Sept. 29, 1931 *E. w. THIELE APPARATUS FOR COKING LIQUID PETROLEUM RESIDUES Original Filed May 14, 1928 Patented Sept. 29, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERNEST W. THIELE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T STANDARD OIL COMPANY, OF

' WHITING, INDIANA, A CORPORATION 9F INDIANA APPARAT S FOR. ooKINe LIQUID PETROLEUM RESIDUES Original application filed May 14, 1928, Serial No..277,767.

Divided. and this application filed July 27,

1929. Serial No. 381,479.

This invention relates to apparatus for the coking of tars and particularly petroleum residues.

The present application constitutes a division of my application, Serial No. 277,767,

filed May 14, 1928.

' The invention will readily be understood from thefollowing description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, which 10 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a suitable apparatus for effecting said coking.

Referring to the drawing, 10 is a vertical retort which suitably flares downwardly in known manner. At its base, the retort is provided with suitable mechanical means 11 for effecting removal of coke therefrom.

Such means may suitably be constituted by a rotatable spiral coke remover of known type. From the upper end of the retort 10 leads a vapor outlet 12 for the removal of I gases and volatile matter from the retort. This outlet 12 leads to suitable condensers, etc., (hot shown) for the recovery of the volatile products in commercial form.

Near the upper end of the retort 10 is located a chamber 13 for the purpose of preheating finely divided coke. Said chamber 13 is provided with a feeding hopper 14 provided with a closing valve of the conical type. From the upper end of the chamber 13, a suitable conduit 15 leads to any suitable gas collector or burners where combustible gas from the chamber 13 may advantageously be consumed.

At its lower end, the chamber 13 is provided with an air inlet 16 for the purpose of causing partial combustion of the coke, whereby it is raised to a high temperature. From the bottom of the chamber 13, a conduit 17 leads into the upper end of the retort 10; and in the base of said chamber is located suitable mechanical means for the purpose of supplying coke to said conduit 17. Such means may suitably comprise a rotatable bottom 18 and stationary abutments 19 which engage the coke thereon.

Suitable means may be provided in the retort 10 for the purpose of distributing the coke thus introduced uniformly over the cross-section of said retort. Such' means may, for example, consist of a bar-cage 20 rotatable from the exterior of said retort. A conduit 21 leads into the upper part of the retort and terminates in a distributing nozzle 22 which is directed downwardly so as to spray-tar or petroleum residue down wardly over the surface of the body of hot coke in the retort 10. The conduit 21 may be connected to any suitable source of hot tar, for example, the last of a battery of continuous stills or a pipe-still coil 23 in which the residue may be pre-heated to any desired temperature.

Since the apparatus is not heated externally, it may suitably be insulated throughout. 1

The operation is as follows: Crushed coke, for example, coke which will pass a half inch mesh, is supplied to chamber 13 and ignited. Air is injected by pipe 16 in order to bring the coke to a suitable temperature, for example, 1400 F. The bottom 18 is rotated and the stationary abutments 19 continuously remove coke at this temperature and supply it to the conduit 17. At the same time, the spreader 20 is operated so that the coke is uniformly distributed over the cross-section of the chamber 10.

When a suitable amount of hot coke has been introduced into the chamber 10, hot

petroleum tar residuum, for example, at

800 F., is supplied by pipe 21 to the distributing nozzle 22 which distributes it uni formly over the coke. With the temperatures mentioned, the oil and coke may suitably be supplied in the proportions of four to one by weight. In contact with the hot coke, the petroleum tar is rapidly coked and the coke produced unites with the hot coke introduced from the chamber 13. The coke remover 11 is operated so as to remove coke from the chamber 10 at substantially the same rate as it is supplied thereto and produced therein. In some cases, the petroleum residue may be heated to a desired temperature, .for example, about 800 F., by rapidly passing the same through the pipe still 23.

It must be understood that the invention 1S not intended to be limited to the specific temperatures or proportions hereinbefore specified, since it is obvious that such proportions and temperatures may be modified within wide limits while insuring a sutlicient temperature within the retort for effective conversion of the petroleum tar to coke. For example, it may be pointed out that it is unnecessary to raise the tar to a high temperature before supplying it to the retort 10 since the coke may be regulated in quantity or in temperature so that sufiicient heat is provided for raising the cold oil to coking temperature and effecting coking thereof.

it is found that an 8% residue of midcontinent crude can be readily heated in the pipe still to a temperature of about 800, without substantial trouble from coke deposition. Such a residuum is suitable for coking, according to the present process. It is to be noted that the invention is not intend ed to be limited in this respect, since other residues and tars can readily be coked thereby.

The heated coke supplied from the chamber 13 appears to substantially prevent the tendency of the coke, formed in the retort 10, to adhere to the walls thereof.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with the details of a specific embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that such details are not intended to be limitative upon the scope of the invention, except in so far as embodied in the accompanying claims.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: i

1. An apparatus for coking liquid petro leum residue which comprises a retort, means for subjecting finely divided coke to partial combustion whereby it is highly heated, means for supplying said highly heated, finely divided coke to said retort, means for introducing petroleum residue into said retort and adapted to distribute the same upon thehighly heated coke within the retort, and an outlet for volatilized products from said retort.

2. An apparatus for coking liquid petroleum residue which comprises a retort, means for subjecting finely divided coke to partial combustion whereby it is heated to a temperature sufficient to effect coking of such residue, means for supplying said highly heated, finely divided coke to said retort, means for introducing petroleum residue into said retort and adapted to distribute the same upon the highly heated coke within the retort, an outlet for volatilized products from said retort, and means for con tinuously withdrawing coke from said retort.

3. An apparatus for coking liquid petroleum residue comprising a retort, a chamber provided with means for heating finely divided coke therein by partial combustion teasers thereby raising it to a temperature sufficient to effect coking of petroleum residue, means for supplying a stream of the heated coke from said chamber to said retort, means for introducing petroleum residue into said retort and adapted to-distribute the same upon the heated coke in said retort, and means for continuously withdrawing coke from the bottom of said retort.

4. An apparatus for coking liquid petroleum residue comprising a retort, a chamber provided with means for heating finely divided coke therein by partial combustion, means for supplying a stream of the heated coke from said chamber to said retort, means for heating petroleum residue to a high temperature, means for introducing said residue into said retort and adapted to distribute the same upon the heated coke in said retort, and means for continuously withdrawing coke from the bottom of said retort.

5. An apparatus for coking liquid petroleum residue comprising, an externally unheated closed retort, means for subjecting coke to partial combustion whereby it is highly heated, means for supplying said hot coke to said retort, means for introducing petroleum residue into said retort and adapted to distribute the same upon the heated coke within said retort, and an outlet for withdrawing Volatilized products from the interior of said retort.

6. An apparatus for coking liquid petroleum residue comprising, an externally unheated closed retort, means for subjecting coke to partial combustion whereby it is highly heated, means for supplying said highly heated coke to the interior of said retort, means for introducing petroleum residue into said retort and adapted to distribute the same upon the hot coke within said retort, an outlet for withdrawing volatilized products from the interior of said retort, and means for withdrawing coke from said retort.

7. An apparatus for coking liquid petroleum residue comprising, an externally unheated closed retort, means for heating finely divided coke by partial combustion of said coke, means for supplying the heated coke to the interior of said unheated retort, means for introducing petroleum residue to the interior of said retort and adapted to supply the same to the heated coke within said retort whereby heat will be imparted to the residue, and means for withdrawing coke from said retort.

8. An apparatus for coking liquid pctroleum residue comprising, an externally 1m heated closed retort, a chamber provided with means for heating coke by partial combustion of said coke, means for supplying the heated coke from said chamber to the interior of said unheated retort, means for Lama-re introducing troleum residue to the interior of sai retort and adapted to an ply the same to the heated coke within said retort, whereb heat will be imparted to said 5 residue, an an outlet for withdrawing volatilized products from said retort. 9. An a paratus for coking liquid llpetroleum resi ue comprising, an externa y unheated closed retort, a chamber provided with means for heatin coke therein by partial combustion of sai coke, means for supplying the heated coke from said chamber to the interior of said retort, means 'ior introducing petroleum residue to the in- 15 terior of said retort and adapted to supply the'same to heated coke within said retort, whereby heat will be im arted to said residue, an outlet for with rawin volatilized products from said retort, an means for 20 continuously withdrawing coke from: the

lower portion of said retort.

ERNEST W. THIELE. 

